Cost of Living in Male

After having spent a month both in the capital city Male' and the islands I do believe I have a good idea about the prices of goods and services, rents and salaries.

Every single of the data set is way off the mark by atleast 30%, and in some cases by 50%.

Here are some samples from the bills with me, circa May 2017:

F&B
Prices at Coffee Shops Citron / Sea House / Salt (UPSCALE)
Breakfast or lunch buffet with drink and dessert = MVR 90-110
Coffee = MVR 30-50
Juice = MVR 70-90

Prices at Restaurants Bombay Darbaar / Baan Thai / Palace Sichuan (UPSCALE)
Entree = MVR 150-450
Drink = MVR 100-150
Dessert = MVR 100-150

Prices at Restaurants China Garden / Acha's Popadums / Dinemore (MIDRANGE)
Entree = MVR 75-150
Submarine sandwich = MVR 60-100
Drink = MVR 50-75
Dessert = MVR 50-75

Prices at Champs the HIH Bar (only place you get alcohol)
Pint of Beer = MVR 90
Double Whisky or equivalent = MVR 180

With the recent hike in taxes on energy drinks and cigarettes:
Red Bull = MVR 50
XL / Monster / Local energy drinks = MVR 20
Cigarette 20ct = MVR 100 (loose stick MVR 5) or MVR 80 (bought as a pack)

Water is MVR 5-15 across restaurants. Also coffee shops near the Hulhumale' beach are extortionately priced owing to high number of tourists and the view.

Add to this a MANDATORY 10% Service Charge and 6% GST - effectively raising all the above price by 16.6%

RENTS
The figures given above are from 15-18 months back. Below are the recent figures:

Male'
ONE ROOM - MVR 15000-20000
TWO ROOM - MVR 20000-25000
THREE ROOM - MVR 25000-35000

Hulhumale'
ONE ROOM China Flat - MVR 12000-15000
TWO ROOM China Flat - MVR 15000-20000
THREE ROOM China Flat - MVR 20000-25000
Private Builders Apartments, VILLA AND PENTHOUSE - MVR 25000++

Amogh
www.amoghgulwady.com